HR to redesign biweekly classification system

The Office of Human Resources has launched a study to
redesign the University's classification system for office
support staff (biweekly B non-union employees). The new
system will include updated job descriptions,
classifications and a new pay structure, and will reflect
changes in the skills and competencies required for office
support positions.

The design team, comprised of managers from a
crosssection of academic and administrative departments, and
HR staff, anticipates that the new system will be in place
by February 2000. The project leader for the study is Human
Resources region manager Claire Elson.

The current system, which is 20 years old, no longer
reflects the responsibilities of office support staff in
today's work environment, Elson notes. In addition,
classification reviews are time consuming and labor
intensive processes, requiring extensive involvement by
Human Resources.

"The new classification system," she says, "will be
designed to consistently reflect the critical skills and
competencies that apply to office and clerical jobs, and
facilitate selection, internal promotions and transfers
across departments." An additional goal is to create a
system that is user-friendly enough to enable managers to
activate a review with only limited consultation from Human
Resources.

The new classification system will be based on
information gathered from job documentation questionnaires
that will be circulated to all support staff this month. In
November and December the data will be analyzed and
benchmarked against similar jobs in the market, and the new
classifications are expected to be finalized in January.